Tyron Smith seems to be a pretty good guy. At 22, the young left tackle for the Dallas Cowboys struggled in his second year in the NFL, but still has plenty of upside to appreciate. However, we’re not sure where he got his nice guy qualities. Because as it turns out, Tyron Smith’s family is the worst.

Last season, we caught wind of a 911 phone call Smith had to place when his siblings showed up to his house to harass him and threaten him into giving them more money. His girlfriend called 911 after two of Smith’s sisters arrived unannounced at his home in Dallas.

Now, we know just how deep and disturbing this story is, thanks to an hour long interview Smith did with the Dallas Morning News. His siblings, mother and father-in-law continually harassed him, threatened him and even stole money from the Dallas Cowboys’ left tackle through a financial adviser that they recommend he employ.

He’s filed a restraining order against his own mother, as she and his step father threatened to physically harm Smith and his girlfriend, Leigh Costa. This is a sad, sad story. Family is supposed to be that one support group that never leaves you. In this case, they’re the exact opposite. They’re leeches.

Smith, the first offensive lineman selected in 2011 when the Cowboys drafted him ninth overall out of USC, signed a four-year, $12.5 million contract. He gave his family a substantial amount of money, agreeing to pay his parents in four installments. But Smith’s stepfather, Roy Pinkney, his mother, Frankie Pinkney, and some of his siblings kept coming back for more.

“There was a certain amount I agreed to give them, but it went way beyond that and I was just like, ‘I’m done,’” Smith said. “I feel like I shouldn’t have given them so much. There was nothing wrong with helping them out and making sure they were taken care of, but not something to where they live the same lifestyle as you.”

VEXED BY A TEXT

Early last year, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told Smith he would be moving to left tackle. Smith sent a text message to his parents to share his good news.

The text Smith received back didn’t offer congratulations or say anything about how proud they were of him.

“They were already looking forward to the next contract, talking about things they wanted to get already,” Smith said. “I was like I haven’t even got there and there’s not even a sure thing that I will. And that was all that was coming out of their mouth.”

STILL OPEN TO RECONCILIATION

Many who meet Smith describe him as a “good guy.” He’s soft-spoken and considerate. Just a few weeks ago, Smith drove to West and helped serve food to many of the emergency workers who had responded to the fertilizer plant explosion. Smith also has a heart for animals. He has four dogs — three rescued from shelters — that he often plays with in his pool.

He said he’s open to reconciling with his family when the timing is right.

“If all the incidents stop,” Smith said, “and they just give me the space that I’ve asked for. The takeaway from this is don’t let people take advantage of you. And it’s all right to say no to certain people.”

For those that may be shocked that Smith wants to reconcile with his family, think if you were in that position.

If it was mine, I’d probably give them every chance to fix the relationships they’re willing to ruin over money. That being said, I’m glad it’s not me.

Jerry strikes again. I’m not thrilled with this pick, but at least they didn’t take a running back. God I hate myself for saying that.

This pick is going to rub a lot of people the wrong way. We have Jason Witten, although he’s getting older. We’ve also got James Hanna. Hanna actually showed me quite a bit last year. Guess he didn’t show Dallas enough.

Now, the Cowboys have another tight end in Gavin Escobar, from San Diego State University.

Escobar stands at 6’6″, 254 pounds and was given a scout grade of 81 (three points higher than Dallas’ first round pick). He’s got great hands, but isn’t a fantastic blocker. Maybe he can pick up a thing or two from Witten.

Escobar is the next in a long line of tight ends to come to Dallas with high expectations. We’re spoiled at the TE position around here, so hopefully he won’t let us down.

Meanwhile, players at positions of need that were still on the board when Dallas drafted:

Not my life, really, but my fandom. My love of a team that wants nothing more than to make me miserable. The Dallas Cowboys are a joke. Jerry Jones and his son Stephen are even bigger jokes.

Folks, don’t blame this on Jason Garrett. This is, and can only be, the work of a Jones.

The Cowboys were sitting at 18. Shariff Floyd, arguably the best D-lineman in the draft, had dropped like a rock right into their lap. Moving to a 4-3 defense this year under Monte Kiffin, and Floyd garnering all kinds of comparisons to Warren Sapp, every Cowboys fan was giddy.

That feeling lasted for only two seconds. Instead of making the right choice by drafting Floyd and drastically improving their situation in the defensive trenches, they traded down.

“Ok,” I thought to myself, “That’s not awful. Let’s see what we got back.”

The Cowboys had traded with San Francisco down to the 31st pick in the draft. Normally, when a move that big (Dallas dropped 13 spots) occurs, the team trading down gets a wealth of picks. So surely the Cowboys got a second rounder, a fourth rounder, and possibly even another late round pick.

Not only did Dallas get screwed over worse than the Indians did by the pilgrims, but they let the defending NFC champions shore up their one hole. The 49ers used the 18th pick to draft Eric Reid, a safety from LSU.

“Hey Jamie, the Cowboys could have used a safety as well.” Yes, yes they could have. Oh, and you know what’s cool about Eric Reid. HE PLAYED WITH MO CLAIBORNE FOR TWO YEARS AT LSU. So that’s cool. A guy who knows how to play with one of our corners was sitting there. Nah, we’re good.

So, after all of this, I’m thinking, “Well this can’t get much worse,” and running through the options in my head. Do we go after Larry Warford, OG from Kentucky a little early? Or Margus Hunt, DE from SMU? Or are we hoping that Sharif Floyd drops all the way down to 31, or maybe they hope Sylvester Williams, DT from North Carolina falls to them.

Hmmmmmmmmm. NOPE.

Travis Frederick.

Who?

TRAVIS FREDERICK.

Graded at 78.1 by NFL.com, Travis Frederick wasn’t expected to go until late in the second round, at the earliest. Essentially, the Cowboys drafted a third round pick in the first round.

These days it’s pretty unacceptable to write/say/do anything in support of the embattled Dallas Cowboys quarterback, but that’s what I am going to do here. I think it was a smart move to hand Tony Romo a 6-year/$108 million extension with $55 million guaranteed. I’ll get to a few reasons why I believe that in a second. But first….

Several people keep asking me why I want Romo around, and I keep asking the same question back. Who else is there? I’ve yet to get an answer.

Geno Smith? No thanks.

Roll with Kyle Orton? How’d that work out for Chicago and Denver?

Draft someone? Who?

The fact of the matter is this: Tony Romo is the best option for the Dallas Cowboys, and is going to be the best option for at least the next few years. That much is plainly obvious at this point.

This contract allows the Cowboys a little flexibility while keeping a good quarterback around. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com does a good job of breaking down the contract:

With the high cap figures in 2014-15, the Cowboys can lower Romo’s base salaries to the league minimum and turn the difference into signing bonus. Such a move in 2014 could save the Cowboys $10 million in cap space but add $2.5 million to the cap figures in each of the remaining years.

So now, back to the topic at hand; why Romo’s extension is a good thing.

Reason #1: More Cap Space

The first reason, and the most obvious, is it gives them more cap room this year. You can’t fix a team that doesn’t have the cap room to sign new guys. I read a guy ranting on Twitter the other day, saying that Dallas shouldn’t have signed Romo to that big of a contract because the team has to address bigger issues with that money. First, I’d like to agree with the guy that the Cowboys have bigger issues than the “issue” at quarterback. Offensive and defensive lines need to be priority in this draft. However, it must be noted that spending that money is actually what’s allowing the Cowboys to address their bigger issues. The move clears up $5 million in cap space for 2013 which helps clear room to sign draft picks. You can’t sign draft picks without cap space, which means a renegotiated contract was virtually a necessity to fixing other problems with this team.

This leads me to my second point.

Reason #2: It’s the Right Price for Romo

I can’t remember if it was the same guy on twitter or someone else, but he said something along the lines of, “Why didn’t they just sign Romo to a 2-year deal for like $30 million?”

The answer is pretty easy here. He wouldn’t agree to that. Statistically, Romo is one of the best quarterbacks in the league (something people like to omit when making arguments against him). In 2012, he threw for the third-most passing yards in the NFL (4,907) and the sixth most touchdowns (28). Yes, he also threw a league-leading amount of interceptions (19), tied with Super Bowl winning quarterback Drew Brees in that category. Since 2007 (excluding 2010 when he was hurt for most of the year), Romo has been in the top 5 in passing yards three times. He’s been in the top 6 for touchdowns thrown four times. He’s been in the top ten in passer rating every year (except 2010, again due to injury).

Quarterbacks like Tony Romo get paid, and he’s not going to take a discount to stay here. He shouldn’t have to.

Reason #3: The new contract gives Dallas time to find the quarterback of the future

Whether you like it or not, Tony Romo is the quarterback of now for the Dallas Cowboys. However, locking up a serviceable starter for the next six years (of which I predict he’ll play four), gives Dallas the time it needs to find a real replacement for Romo.

Yes, I like Tony Romo, but he isn’t going to be the quarterback forever. Instead of Dallas offloading Romo and struggling to find a good replacement, this gives the Cowboys time to find a young guy in the draft and coach him up to be successful. It’s rare (despite what we’ve seen the past few seasons) for a rookie quarterback to come into the league and be successful right away. Dallas needs time to coach a player up and this contract affords them that time.

So, Cowboys fans, do you feel the same way? Leave your comments below as to why this was/wasn’t a good move by Jerry Jones.

It’s been debated over and over, and there’s a clear line in the sand when it comes to defining two types of Cowboys fans.

The first group is often called a group of apologists, ones who are consistently trying to make excuses for the under-performance of this team, and specifically, this team’s quarterback.

The second is a group that is consistently shedding light on the faults and mistakes that have been made, on the field and in the front office, but specifically, by this team’s quarterback.

I’d like to think I’m impartial, but if we’re being honest, I probably fall in group one.

No, I definitely fall in group one.

I’ve made excuses over and over for Tony Romo’s poor performances in big games, with the most recent example being the final game of this season.

I’m done making excuses for him, but it’s hard to say the Cowboys need to move on when there’s no viable replacement on the team. Kyle Orton couldn’t have gotten this team to within one game of the playoffs, that’s for certain, and Romo’s numbers still put him in very good company as far as quarterback rankings go.

So, in order for Dallas to start thinking about life after Tony Romo, which may come soon, or may be several years down the road, we need to look to the draft.

Obviously, there are greater needs than quarterback on this team. Both the offensive and defensive lines have been discussed extensively, and I covered them last week in a draft preview.

However, if the Cowboys were to draft a quarterback, who should they go for? It’s not like this is a particularly strong draft for quarterbacks. Matt Barkley? Tyler Wilson? The lack of respect for the qb’s in this draft may play to the Cowboys’ advantage. If they want to draft a quarterback, they could do so without forgoing greater priorities, by taking someone in the third or fourth rounds.

Despite less than ideal height, possesses a solidly built frame and may be the toughest quarterback prospect in the 2013 draft. Willing to stare down the barrel and deliver a strike, providing a physical example of the non-vocal, on-field leadership coaches value at the position. Doesn’t own a true howitzer but possesses plenty of arm strength to make every NFL throw. Can fire the deep-out from the opposite hash and is especially impressive with his velocity on intermediate in-breaking routes.

Possesses a quick over-the-top to Â¾ release and flashes ability to change release point if need be. Arm strength is adequate. Does not have prototypical capabilities to drive the ball and stretch the field vertically as a Joe Flacco or Ben Roethlisberger. However, did show ability to make all the necessary NFL type throws including getting good velocity on deep out throws from opposite hash.

Good athlete with quick feet. Good toughness as a runner and takes care of the football. Smart and makes quick decisions, reading and identifying before delivering. NCAA-record 444 pass attempts spanning the 2011-12 seasons before throwing an interception. Quick release with downfield touch on bucket throws. Good zip and velocity on out routes.

Again, I’m not calling for an immediate quarterback change, but the fact of the matter is this: Romo isn’t getting any younger, and it’s time to start planning for the future.

(Photo Credit: Evan Vucci/Associated
Press) UPDATE (4:55 p.m.): This was a hoax folks, sorry.
I was tricked. Turns out, this site is running the same story about
other guys too, including Arian Foster. UPDATE (4:05 p.m.):
Hearing this may be a false rumor, working on verifying its
validity. Original report: It has been reported by Pro Football News that Tony Romo has
broken both of his legs in a car accident today. Here’s more from
the report:

The accident involved a 2012 BMW
driven by Tony Romo and a 76 year old female driver in a 2010 Audi.
The driver of the Audi was issued a citation for failing to stop at
a red light before striking the vehicle driven by Tony Romo at a
high rate of speed.

Two defensive tackles, both above average players, ruined their lives by making the idiotic decision to drink then drive. One resulted in the death of a best friend and teammate.

Clearly this impact is two fold, with one being much more significant than the other. The first impact is on their livelihood. Josh Brent, specifically, will possibly see jail time after killing his best friend and Cowboys practice squad player Jerry Brown the night before the Cowboys were supposed to fly to Baltimore to face off against the Ravens.

Jay Ratliff made the equally dumb decision, and also wrecked his car, but fortunately no one was significantly injured.

The other piece, the less significant impact, is to the depth of the Dallas Cowboys at defensive tackle. In the 3-4 scheme under Rob Ryan, Ratliff was the starter, and Brent was his immediate #2. Other guys like Tyrone Crawford, Marcus Spears and Sean Lissemore guys who could play nose tackle, played on the ends of the line, as pressure support for DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer.

Now, though, a change is coming. Under Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 system, a deep rotation is needed at the DT and NT positions. Without Brent, and possibly Ratliff, those positions are horribly thin.

As I discussed in Tuesday’s portion of this series, there are two schools of thought out there about which direction the Cowboys should go with their first round pick, offensive line or defensive tackle. I determined that offensive line was still priority #1, but if Dallas does decide to go with a defensive tackle in the first round, let’s look at who they should take.

Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri

From Todd McShay, ESPN:

Richardson fills a top need and is a perfect fit as 3-technique in the 4-3 scheme of new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. He lacks ideal size and strength, but Richardson has elite first-step quickness, change-of-direction skills and range to penetrate and disrupt plays.

Richardson is an interesting guy, and the consensus expert pick for those thinking Dallas will go DT in the first round. I certainly think he would be an excellent pickup, but his noted lack of motivation concerns me.

If Dallas decides to go with an offensive lineman in the first round, that would leave the second round or third round (if they go with another OL, say, Barrett Jones in round 2), there are a few other guys they could go after in the next few rounds that would help out.

Williams has one of the best first steps in all of college football. When he times the snap, Williams can use his quick burst to fly into the offensive lineman and disrupt the play. That type of athleticism makes Williams such an intriguing prospect. It’s rare to see a man of his size with such a good first step, so NFL scouts are going to be interested by that ability. When Williams is allowed to go and attack the gaps, he can be a major problem for the offense.

Margus Hunt, DT/DE, SMU

From NFL.com:

Shows the ability to anchor from both the 3-tech and 5-tech spots. Has the speed to run the arm and beat tackles off the edge. Fast and strong hands stun his man, extends his arms to keep leverage. Uses his length very well to keep blockers off his body. Plays contain well on the edge, pops off his block and swallows backs with his strong upper body. Long strides eat a lot of grass when closing to the quarterback. Good closing speed. Will chase plays downfield. Height and length allow him to affect quarterbacksâ€™ vision when unable to reach him; they also make him an ideal interior player on the field goal block team. Flashes the ability to come off the ball hard and low in short-yardage situations despite his height.

Good lateral agility with quick feet to sidestep blockers and knife through the offensive line. Flexible body type to make smooth movements and a quick first step when he correctly times up his get-off. Plays low with natural leverage. Ordinary upper body strength but active and strong hands and wrists.

I think out of these guys, if the Boys don’t go DT in the first round, I’d like to see Margus Hunt get drafted. There are a few reasons for this, the first being that he’s 6’8″ and still has an incredibly fast motor. I watched him play live the past two years when SMU took on TCU, and the guy is an absolute beast. He’s even got the quickness, as NFL.com says, to possibly play DE. This would be huge, because it’s not for certain that Dallas will resign Anthony Spencer. If that’s the case, Hunt would be a dual-threat draftee for the Cowboys.

Vote for who you want Dallas to draft, and comment below as to why (OR, tell me why you think I’m an idiot).

8-8. I have nightmares about 8-8. For the third time since 2008, the Cowboys needed one more win to make the playoffs, and instead they met their downfall at the hands of a division rival. Each rival, the Giants, Eagles and Redskins, have now had the pleasure of keeping Dallas out of the playoffs.

So, once again, here we are, talking about the things Dallas needs to fix in order to be a serious playoff contender.

The offensive line this season was horrendous, that cannot be overstated, and it has been discussed, discussed and discussed until our ears have bled, and we want to crawl under the covers and never come out again.

There are a few big names in free agency that could help the Cowboys big time, such as Jake Long and Sebastian Vollmer, but Vollmer will probably resign with the Patriots and Long is wanting at least $10 million a year per sources out of Miami, so neither of those guys are going to make their way to DFW, it would appear.

As has been the plan from the beginning, the Cowboys will need to address their offensive line woes in the draft.Â Â Â Now, there are two schools of thought out there about which direction the Cowboys should go with their first round pick, offensive line or defensive tackle. Â Midway through the season, OL was the clear front runner. But with Josh Brent and Jay Ratliff both being arrested for DUI (and Brent’s pending murder charges), not to mention Ratliff’s recent string of injuries, has seriously weakened Dallas at that position.

Also, the move from 3-4 to 4-3 requires more depth than Dallas already had, when Brent and Ratliff were healthy and not in jail. However, despite that, I still think offensive line is the more desperate need. We’ll call them 1a and 1b.

To this point, there have been iterations on iterations of mock drafts, with several guys projected at the 18th pick. Out of the offensive linemen, I’ve seen the following names:

Chance Warmack, G, Alabama

Breakdown from Todd McShay, ESPN:

Follow my Big Board week to week and you’re probably surprised I could fathom a situation where Warmack is still around at No. 18. But remember, the mock also takes into account where I hear teams are valuing guys, and in the case of a player like Warmack, the positional value aspect hurts him as a guard. Make no mistake, he’s a stud, a dominant guard who makes your offensive line better the second he signs his contract. But he’s staying inside, period, limiting his shot at the top 10. Dallas could certainly use an upgrade at guard, and I don’t think the Cowboys can pass up Warmack at this spot on the board if he’s available.

Eric Fisher, OT, Western Michigan

Breakdown from Gil Brandt, NFL.com:

Fisher, who has tons of upside, could step in and start at right tackle immediately for the Cowboys, whose troubles on the line were well-documented in 2012.

Lance Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

Breakdown from Dan Kadar, SB Nation:

The Cowboys’ offensive line has been in need of improvement for several years and Johnson is the best available offensive tackle. Doug Free just hasn’t worked at right tackle and could be pushed inside to help the Cowboys’ interior line. The only question about this pick is whether Johnson fits the power blocking scheme Dallas employs. He may need to get bigger, but has the mentality and style to overpower defensive ends.

Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina

Breakdown from Mel Kiper, ESPN:

The Cowboys had an uneven season on the offensive line, and Cooper will provide an upgrade immediately.Â This is a complete guard, a player who is exceptional at delivering blocks and moving in tight quarters, and he moves extremely well for the position. He can deliver an initial blow to eliminate an interior defender and then move easily to the second level where he can line up linebackers and safeties and block in space.

Honestly, I’d like to see Warmack the most, but I think he’ll be off the board by the 18th pick. If that happens, Dallas needs to take Cooper, and stick him next to Doug Free.

Dallas also has the option, as Dan Kadar suggests above, to push Free in to the guard position where his lack of lateral quickness wouldn’t be exposed as much. If that is the case, I would hope Dallas drafts someone like Johnson or Fisher. I’m a little surprised to see Fisher this low in Brandt’s draft, though, as several guys have him going as high as the 7th overall pick.

One other guy that some folks are saying could go in the first round is Barrett Jones, the center from Alabama. Jones would bring an immediate solution to the Cowboys’ needs at center, as there’s some question as to whether Phil Costa and Ryan Cook can 1) stay healthy, and 2) perform at a high level consistently.

Both Costa and Cook had good moments in 2012, but they were greatly outweighed by injuries and mistakes. I don’t see Jones going that high though, and I think Dallas will have a chance to pick him up in the 2nd round.

Tuesday morning Jay Ratliff was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after he drove his car into an 18-wheeler.

I have no sympathy for him. None.

After what his teammate Josh Brent did just a few months ago, Jay Ratliff should have known better. Actually, he should have known better regardless. He’s an idiot.

So, the question is now: Should the Cowboys cut him?

I say yes. Hear me out.

Ratliff has seen a steady decline in all of his stats over the past four years. Here’s a chart.

Other than tackles, There’s been no consistency in performance for the nose tackle. A guy like Ratliff, especially in a 3-4 defense, is responsible for getting good push up the middle to force the quarterback out of the pocket. He’s clearly been incapable of that over the last three seasons.

I know that the Cowboys would be thin at DT without him, especially with the switch to the 4-3, but can they afford to keep someone like him around? They need to send the message that crap like drunk driving will not be tolerated.

Well, it’s official. The Dallas Cowboys have hired Monte Kiffin as their defensive coordinator. I don’t really agree with this move, as it causes a trickle down of major changes that are going to happen, specifically revolving around defensive scheme.

I don’t think Dallas is fully equipped to handle switching to a 4-3, or to handle changing from one complex 3-4 defense to a Tampa 2 defense run by the defense’s originator.

Maybe that’s a slight to the football IQ of the players on this team, I don’t know. However what I do know is that this is a very high-risk move.

The good news is that, unlike Rob Ryan, Kiffin has an entire offseason to implement his schemes and bring in any necessary support staff and players that can help guys catch up quickly.

This could turn out to be a good move, but it’s certainly not the wave making change fans were craving.

If you missed them yesterday, here’s my breakdown of the Tampa 2 offense, and some pros and cons of installing it with Dallas’ current personnel.

The Tampa 2 defense, run out of the 4-3, focuses on speed rushes and forcing quarterbacks to throw into coverage. It’s incredibly effective when run well, with the right personnel. Ideally, Tampa 2 sees a linebacker drop back into coverage, turning a cover 2 into a cover 3, and if disguised well, will throw most quarterbacks off.

It normally requires very quick, strong defensive tackles capable of getting into the backfield along with speed linebackers capable of falling back into coverage. So lets see why this would be a decent fit.

1. Linebacker speed — Sean Lee and Bruce Carter have shown that they are more than capable of going sideline to sideline, and playing in coverage when called upon to do so.

2. Penetrating Defensive Tackles — When healthy, Jay Ratliff is 100% capable of consistently getting into the backfield. I also noticed a lot more of Sean Lissemore in the backfield when he got playing time late in the season.

However, there are several weaknesses I fear would be exposed by this defense.

1. Cornerbacks in space – Brandon Carr and Mo Claiborne are best utilized as press corners with help waiting over the top. In a Tampa 2 system, they’d play off and force receivers towards the sidelines.

2. Weak safeties — Our safeties are not great against the run. Depending on them to to come up and lay a hit (strong safety over the middle) or plug a hole (free safety coming up to the line) isn’t playing to their strong suits. Seeing how both Barry Church and Gerald Sensebaugh are under contract for 4 and 3 more years respectively, they’re going to be the guys on the field.

3. It would force DeMarcus Ware to put his hand in the ground and line up at defensive end for the first time in his career. While a guy like Anthony Spencer may flourish in a system like this, Ware needs space to create. Now I have no doubt he would work to overcome this adjustment, but how long will it take, and how much would it affect our best pass rusher’s production?

Latest Tweets

About Jamie

The site is owned and operated by Jamie Plunkett, a TCU graduate with a B.S. in advertising and public relations. In short, he’s a sports junkie. Born and raised in Dallas, he grew up following Dallas sports closely and passionately. He created the Dallas Sports Rant as an opportunity to unleash his sports knowledge and bias on the rest of the world. He also performs a pretty excellent karaoke version of Ice Ice Baby.